Where are my friends?
Where are my friends?
by Joel Howard
"'Don't be afraid', the prophet answered. 'Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'" 2 Kings 6:16, NIV
Loved ones have left
Family broken off
God has isolated me
Like Joseph down the well
My close ones persecute me
Where are my friends?
Where have they gone?
Where are the ones by my side?
This I said and the grief in my heart
Left me all but died
When's the last I smiled?
'Til I looked to the sky
'Til I looked by my side
Saw the soil, my friend indeed
Saw the birds in the air
Saw the cows in the field
All creation groans just like I do
That they friends to me make
That to me they are indeed
'Til I looked to the sun
And I looked at the stars
They daughters and sons
Of God they are
And I looked to the moon
Saw the distant galaxies
All creation groans with me too
That they friends to me make
That to me they are the same
To the squirrels I look
To the faithful army ants
To the trees, vast in number
More than all my old friends
My wife is my friend
Young children are too
They have nothing against me
Smiles they offer freely
My son is my friend
My daughters are too
They say they love me
More than I they do
The clouds are my friends
I see them every day
The skies above
Stick with me like glue
All these are gifts
Sent from my God
Who is also my friend
Left me? He has not
And so I find
That loneliness dies
When I look to the sky
How vast my friends
In creation they be
Much more
Than the ones that hurt me
Much more
Than the ones that hate me
Much more than the ones
That have left me
I find, according to the Bible
That these inward trials
This pain inside
This anxiety I find
Is no different from Creation's cries
I am being aligned
On this side of the return of Christ
To the feelings of earth
Before He returns
And the friends that have left me
Are much, much less
Than the ones still with me
Where are my friends?
They all come with me to heaven
Days without end
Dear Joel, maintain your cries
But never cease to lift your eyes
To the partners by your side
To the partners who in tears with you confide
More are they that are for us
Than they that are against us
Must I mention the saints that
In heaven proclaim to us
"He is near! He is near!"
They all say to us
Where are my friends?
They are all around us
Below us, above us
More are with us
Than are against us
